Influence of potassium humate and calcium phosphate on production of pepper seedlings

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Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, 63514 Fayoum, Egypt

Abstract

Two shadow net house experiments were conducted during 2018 and 2019 in a private Nursery, Ibshawy district, Fayoum, Egypt, to study the effect of potassium humate and calcium phosphate on morphological characters, membrane permeability (RWC and MSI), leaf photosynthetic pigments and leaf elemental contents of pepper transplants. The experimental design used was a split-plot in randomized complete blocks with four replications. Potassium humate levels (0 and 0.5 g litre-medium-1) were distributed in the main plots, while calcium phosphate concentrations (0, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mg litre-water-1) were randomly allocated to the sub-plots. Growing medium provided with 0.5 g l-1 potassium humate gave the highest significant values on morphological characters, membrane permeability, leaf photosynthetic pigments and leaf N, P, k and Ca contents as compared to growing medium without potassium humate treatment during both seasons. However, number of leaves transplant-1 was not significantly affected. Generally, foliar application of calcium phosphate at 600 and 800 mg l-1 was significantly recorded higher mean values of morphological characters, membrane permeability and leaf photosynthetic pigments as compared to other concentrations but number of leaves transplant-1 was not significantly affected. While, spraying calcium phosphate at 100 mg l-1 significantly recorded higher mean values of leaf N content. Application of calcium phosphate at 1000 mg l-1, significantly, attained higher values of leaf P and Ca content. Whilst application of calcium phosphate 200 or 400 mg l-1 gave the highest significant values on leaf K content, in both seasons of 2018 and 2019. These results recommend using the growth medium supplemented with 0.5 g l-1 potassium humate in integration with calcium phosphate at 600 and 800 mg l-1 act to enhancing the plant physio-biochemical components, which reflected in high growth of pepper seedlings.

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